


Life Can Be Merciful

by Mystic_Ender



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: I put Gloria, Time Travel, Time Travel Shenanigans, also Leon gonna suffer in this a bit, based her off my own MC, but like this is just because this is the female MC, just a bit, you know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-03
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:35:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22102669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mystic_Ender/pseuds/Mystic_Ender
Summary: Leon once had been used to the stares.He wasn't used to the stares melting away.He also wasn't used to being brought back a couple of hours in time to save his brother.
Relationships: Dande | Leon & Hop
Kudos: 58





	1. Part 1

Leon had been used to the stares. He once had been used to feeling them on his back as he battled, smiling as the audience cheered on. What he had not been used to, however, were the stares looking away to plant themselves on the new Champion. It had felt like a part of himself was melting away, and in a weird way, it hurt. In another way, he also had felt freer, the pression that rested on his shoulders lifting itself up. So, as he had left the gym, leaving the new Champion to her speech and new fans, he had felt like a complete mess.

He had waited for this feeling to melt away, just like the stares had. Instead of relief, as he had hoped he would feel, he had felt… not empty, no, but as if a part of himself had been ripped away from him only to never fill up again. ‘Was this how it felt to be a nobody? Was this how it felt to have your title taken away from you with no goodbye being given or no tears shed?’ He remembered thinking.

For so long he had been a rock, a rock for the people to hold themselves on when they were in trouble. But since he was now no longer that, what was he supposed to do? Everything around him was crumbling away, and he found his foundation trembling, waiting to destroy itself.

 **[Postwick Station. Village of the Champion Leon]** The electronic voice claimed, soon before the train stopped.

‘Uh, guess they didn’t change it yet.’ Leon thought, before getting up and grabbing his bag to leave the train and station. If people were to recognize him, he would be genuinely surprised. He had left his cape and his trainer clothing behind, as well as the Chairman outfit he had worn for a while, the time they found a replacement Chairman. He was now a nobody, a white t-shirt and everyday jeans to show it. He also had taken an appointment with the hairstylist to cut his hair away later this week. He was a nobody, so why keep it long anymore?

As he left the building, not many people were there. Some clapped for him, but he just gave them a smile, ducked his head and walked away. He didn’t need to see their disappointed looks. He didn’t need to see their eyes tell him that he could have been so much better, so much stronger… He didn’t need it. He walked past the golden fields, where he will probably work in for the rest of his days and made his way home. Entering through his front door has never been harder. He lifted his hand to push the door open, but as it turns out, he didn’t need too, since it swung open for him.

"Leon! Welcome home, darling, get in!" His mother was there, a bright smile on her face at seeing her son home. Leon couldn’t give it back to her. He still entered his home, dumped the bag on the floor and hugged his mother back when she threw her arms around him. "We are so glad to see you home, darling. Dinner is ready soon. Go say hi to your father!"

And that’s what he did, greeting the man with another hug. He also got the usual pat on the back, though it didn’t make him cough from the strength like it did when he was a kid. No wonder that man had specialized in fighting type Pokemons. "How are you doing, son?" he asked, smiling brightly. Leon could see Hop’s smile in it. "Travel wasn’t too hard? You got some sleep?"

Worry bug, that man was.

"I’m fine, dad." Oh, that was a lie. He wasn’t fine. Far from it. But he couldn’t let his father worry more than he probably did. His heart already had trouble, he couldn’t give it more things to fuss about. "Travel went smoothly. Where’s Hop?"

"That boy is staying the night at the research lab again," He replied, chuckling. He had known that Hop started studying to be a Pokemon Professor, but he had hoped to see him around. He wanted to see his little brother after all. He would have hoped that he could hug him, and feel okay again. "He sure is devoted when he wants to be. Got that from his mother."

"Dad, I know-"

"You know your mother challenged me from the top of a cliff in the gym challenge? I had defeated her previously, but she just wouldn’t have it, you know-" He started, his eyes glazing over as the memories went back from when they were both young. Leon’s father and mother had been rivals, and it honestly would explain Hop’s crush on his rival. The ex-Champion still was able to get away as the man rambled, and made his way to his room.

His room still had all its caps and various boxes. He probably should sell some, the ones he won’t use. After all, he wasn’t Champion anymore, so why bother being unique with having different caps for each different day? He was a nobody now. His bag had been brought up, probably from one of the Pokemons or his mother. Most likely his mother. He unpacked everything, sighing as he realized he left so much behind. He hadn’t bothered letting Charizard out yet, and he could see it annoyed him from the way the Pokeball kept shaking. He put them on the now-empty shelves, where caps once rested.

"Leon, come down, dinner is ready darling!" A voice rang from downstairs.

**\------------**

He decided to help out his father with the fields that day. The man was getting old, so he might as well try and help him out, as well as learn what he would need to do. He might need to catch some ground types and rock types, as his father had recommended. If he was to take over the family farm once he passes away (a talk Leon had steered away from quickly,) he will need help and they would be the best help he could get.

In the beginning, it had been hard. He had trouble concentrating on everything he was told, seeing he needed to tend to the fields correctly. After a while though, his mind wandered off, muting everything his father was saying. Was this really how he will live his life? An unknown, small, sad farmer? Watching as his brother became grand like he wished, while he was--

"Lee! LEE!" A familiar voice yelled, running his way. He didn’t have a white coat yet, but it was like he did in Leon’s eyes. He turned around, smiling at his little brother. Close behind him was the new Champion. He still smiled. His father kept working away, probably not even hearing them. The man will need hearing aids soon.

"Hey there, lil guy." He made a mess of his brother’s hair once he was close enough, the 16 years old boy groaning once he stopped. He quickly fixed his hair and looked up at Leon, holding a file under his arm. 

"You won’t believe what I found! Sonia said I could take care of it, since it was you know, my finding, and--" He held up the file to Leon, who took it and started looking through it as Hop continued rambling, stars in his eyes. The file talked about the potential location of a legendary Pokemon. Not Zacian or Zazamenta, but a completely new one. They will simply scout, but it is still very dangerous and Leon still worried.

He still didn’t show it.

"That’s great, Hop." He smiled at his little brother and gave him the file back. He supported himself on the fence, watching as his brother continued talking about the finding. It was apparently in the first Galar Mine, in some sealed cave. 

"I was wondering if you wanted to come with?" He asked, eyes bright and hopeful. He didn’t ask the Champion, who was behind him, smiling in amusement and waiting for Leon’s answer. She probably was going along anyway. So why would he need an ex-Champion? "I’m sure Charizard would love the action! Where is he, by the way?"

"Mae is already coming with you, isn’t she? You don’t need the Ex-Champion."

"But--"

"Go, Hop. You got a long way to walk to get to the first mines." Seeing his brother’s smile fade hurt a lot, he had to admit. It also felt a stab through the heart watching him slump and walk away, the file loose in his hands. But as he said, the current Champion was going with him. He didn’t need his help.

"You know, I think Hop wanted you to come as his brother. Not a Champion." Leon startled when he heard that, looking towards Mae. She had her arms crossed, and her calculating gaze was staring in his eyes. It was as if she could read him. Her lips were pressed in a thin line and her eyebrows were furrowed. She was worried, he noted.

"I still don’t see what I should be doing. I can’t protect. I--" He began, but quickly got interrupted by her again.

"You can be there to support him. Leon, you might think you are nothing-" She shoots him a look when he was about to open his mouth to protest. Even though it was truth. "-but what you can be is a brother. You can support him. Don’t let your loss dictate your life. Now, I should probably go, before I lose him. See you, Leon."

Just like that, she disappeared from his sight.

**\------------**

No, Leon was brooding at the table from the fact that he had been told off by a sixteen-year-old. He was definitely brooding from the fact that his parents were eye-fucking again at the table. Yup, that was it. He had tried to talk with his grandma, but she had fallen asleep eating again and last time he tried to wake her during dinner, he had ended up with an Eldegoss thrown at his face. That had not been a good experience.

Finally, he had enough. He got up from the table and went to his room, his parents not even noticing him leaving. He took his bag, almost filled it up completely with various potions and snacks, then fixed the Pokeballs to the side of the bag. He quickly stumbled down the stairs, said bye to his parents before slamming the door shut behind him. It was night outside, sure, but that wouldn’t stop him.

He ran and ran until he arrived at the mines. Surprisingly, he hadn’t gotten lost. Might have been because he tried going there enough times that he actually remembered the path. He ignored the Challengers, who threw cries of protest and continued the path down. He tried remembering the small directions that had been scribbled on the paper in the file, but for the life of him, he couldn’t remember it. He took several different paths, once ended up near Milo’s gym and once ended up near a crevasse.

When he finally reached what he thinks is the sealed cave, he wasn’t surprised that it had been opened. No, what surprised him was that it was completely dark and there was no sound. He made his way down, with some rope he found near the entrance (seriously, people leave this shit everywhere,) and stumbled in a completely dark room. You could hear the occasional drips and you could see some faint lights from the rare gemstones that were there, but otherwise, it seemed as if nobody was there. 

He stumbled in the dark before his foot hit something and made him fall over with a groan. He had tried to get up, but the floor started rumbling like an earthquake, and a screech was heard from the depths. As he looked up, his eyes met two pinpricks, blood red and glowing. More crystals started lighting up around him, making it somewhat bright enough to see. The Legendary Pokemon’s body was covered in rock and gem-like scales, and in his mouth, there were some razor-sharp fangs. Antennas were on his head and they too glowed, like some of the mushrooms in Ballonlea. 

It was absolutely terrifying. As he got up, he noticed what he had stumbled upon was what once had been an alive, and very much breathing, Mae. Hop was nowhere to be seen. To say he wanted to throw up was an understatement. He wanted to throw up, run and cry. All at once. This Pokemon had killed his brother’s crush and rival, as well as Galar’s Champion. The Champion. The one who had beaten him, the one unbeatable. As it tried attacking him, Leon reached for the Pokeballs on his bag. His hands were shaking, but he still threw the Pokeball and called forth his Charizard.

It had been stupid, trying to beat a Legendary Pokemon, but he needed to protect himself, as well as get revenge for the ones he killed. He had gone with plural, seeing he didn’t know how many people had been there. He fought with Charizard, even Dynamaxed him, but it hadn’t been enough. He went with his other Pokemons, but they were also all defeated, in almost a single strike. As the beasts’ fangs plunged at him, his world went dark.

And he found himself in Postwick’s Pokecenter. 

"--be sure to stock up on potions--"

He blinked in surprise and nodded, took his Pokemons and ran outside. It was bright. The sun was out. It had been night moments ago. When he was in that dark cave--

"Lee! LEE!"

And again, Hop and Mae were running towards him.

What the hell just happened?


	2. Part 2

Leon hadn’t known how to react. Simply because apparently, it really looked like what happened in the cave hadn’t happened at all, and the Champion was alive and walking. When she hadn’t been when he found her in the cave. Had this been only but a fever dream? It wouldn’t make sense, seeing that his Pokemons had, in fact, been injured and tired out. He only snapped out of it when Hop started waving a hand in front of his face.

"Lee? Lee you okay there?’’ Hop stopped once he noticed his brother’s eyes snapped to his face. The smile then came back to the professor-in-training, and he continued what he was saying "Okay, I discovered something and you will not believe what Sonia said--’’

"You got your own research mission?’’ He replied, before stopping himself. 

"How did you know?!’’ Hop exclaimed, doing that very extra pose of his when he’s surprised. Leon wondered at that moment if Hop hadn’t gotten that from him, because of that pose he used to do every time he won. Observe and learn. 

"...I got a hunch, is all.’’ He bullshitted-explained and then smiled at his brother. Which, to his surprise was slightly genuine. He hadn’t done that from all the time he has been here. Okay, he’s been here for like a day or two so far but that does not matter. "When are you leaving?’’

"Hum, well, soon, but…’’ Hop deflated a bit from the lack of reaction from his brother, though he didn’t let that stop him. He might just be tired still from travel! "I was wondering if you wanted to come with? It is a Legendary Pokemon we’re searching about, so--’’

"Sure, I’ll come.’’

"Really?!’’

"Yeah. Guide the way, little brother.’’ Leon had answered before thinking about it. Mostly from worry, because if he were to go back at the same time as when he decided to go after Hop (yesterday?) then he doesn’t know what he would find this time around. He would not let Hop die. He wouldn’t. He was one of the firsts to hold him in his arms, after all, and he won’t let that once-baby die. He refuses.

And with a smile, Hop guided the way.

\------------

It ended up being a mistake. The moment the workers had unsealed the cave, a screech could be heard from the depths of it. Leon, at that moment, ended up being brought back to the time where he found the Champion dead in the depths of the cave and Lee could not imagine finding his little brother, so full of hope and eyes so bright, dead in there. His future could not finish that way. So, he quickly pushed the kids to the grounds and waited for the neon-bright ray that came from the hole to cease.

When he got back up, he ignored the sounds of consternation that came from Mae and Hop’s nervous laugh and jumped in. He didn’t care if he were to die. If he died, he’d bring that fucking thing with him. It’s not like he had any future left. He had planned on becoming a farmer, which is far from the stars bright future that is becoming an undefeated Champion.

This time, the Legendary Pokemon was less intimidating than the first time he saw it, in the complete dark, with dead people around him. And this time, his ex-Champion heart was filled with Determination to take this beast down. He sent Aegislash first. Last time they had battled, the beast had som Fairy moves, so he’ll see if Steel does any damage against it. When it didn’t, he called Aegislash back and sent Rillaboom instead.

But the beast pretty much annihilated the grass-type Pokemon. It sent a burst of fire, blue flames mixed with red ones. He didn’t know what that move was, but it was strong. As Leon sent out Charizard and used Air Slash, he heard someone slide down. Sure enough, Hop was now there and sending out his own Pokemon. Dubwool was now fighting alongside Charizard.

"What are you doing down here?!’’ Leon screamed out, seeing the sounds of the attacks were… pretty loud and it wouldn’t surprise him if he ended up deaf by the end of the battle. If he doesn’t die, that it. "You could die!’’

"And **I’m** not letting you die, Lee!’’ Hop screamed back at him, after commanding another attack. Hop stepped out of the way as an attack was sent his way, and he turned back to look at his brother. "You could have asked for our help!’’

Leon didn’t answer but glared at the beast. He sent out another attack, but it quickly got blocked by a crystal shield the Legendary Pokemon raised. Though, to Leon’s horror, instead of simply stopping the attack, it bounced it back at them. Hop, still turned towards Lee, didn’t see the attack being sent his way.

He didn’t move in time.

"NO!’’ The ex-Champion screamed, his world already going black. The edge of it was in a neon-bright light, and he could hear someone else going down and sending their Inteleon. This was not going to plan.

\------------

“--Be sure to stock up on potions--’’

Leon simply nodded, took his now fully rested Pokemons and left the Pokecenter. The scene of his brother dying was still playing in front of his eyes, and he didn’t hear his brother claiming his name. Everything was a blur as he did the same thing again, and again, and again. It seemed as if the fight never changed and as if every time he tried a different attack, it was still being sent towards his brother. No wonder he was an Ex-Champion. He couldn’t protect his own family.

“Leon?’’ Mae began, walking with him behind Hop. Her voice was oddly low as if she didn’t want Hop to hear. “Are you okay? You look tired.’’

“Yes, I’m okay--’’ Before he could even start justifying himself, he got cut short.

“That’s bullshit.” She said. Her eyes were glaring at him, but he could see something behind them. As if she had felt like him before. How could she even feel like that? She never watched her own family die over and over again in front of his own two eyes. “You look like me during my Gym Challenge.”

“How do you even know how I feel?” He replied with a small hiss, before looking forward. He was about to walk faster to keep up with Hop when she took his wrist in her hand. He turned around and tugged on his wrist “Let me go--”

“Don’t think I don’t know how you feel.” She replied. She let him go, though she lifted her chin in defiance and stared at him in the eyes. Slight fear and sadness were behind them, he noted in surprise. “Do you really think I defeated Eternatus the first way around? I watched so many people die over and over again. It hurts. But you have to keep trying, whatever you are fighting. Look at the problem in another angle. But get through. This is the only way you can break the cycle.”

“What are you two doing back there? Come on, slowpokes!” Hop exclaimed, up ahead. He was at the entrance of the mine in which the cave resided and was watching them with a huge smile on his face, oblivious to the fact that he might just die again in there.

Leon looked back at Mae, through a different light this time, and speed-walked his way to his brother. They made their way inside and as they walked, Leon thought of all the previous encounters. The beast only attacked first twice. And it was when Hop was with him. When he went in first, it didn’t attack. He attacked first. He’ll go in first this time around and ask them to stay behind.

He hopes it will work.

When the cave was opened, he told Mae and Hop to stay behind. Hop was about to follow, but Mae put a hand on his arm and nodded at Leon to go on. So, he got in and slid down. He didn’t summon any Pokemon but stared at the Legendary Pokemon instead. Its huge body moved like a snake, to uncover something. The pokemon was protecting something. Once it moved away completely, Leon faced a floating ball of crystal. It was nothing special, he thought until it moved through images of his battle with Mae.

_‘You could go back. Win.’_ Something reasoned through the cave, like a hiss. Normally he wouldn’t understand it, but it was like his body forced him to understand. It was like it was made for him only to hear.

“I could.” As if he were in a trance, his feet guided him to the crystal showing the images. It showed him winning. It showed his fans cheering. Him, happy and successful. Never undefeated. But… “Going back wouldn’t be right. It wouldn’t be fair.”

_‘She went back multiple times. She didn’t win the first time around.’_ This time the images switched to every time Mae lost. How she was brought back right before she started the match. Anger bubbled in his chest. ‘Wouldn’t it be fair for you to get another try?’

“It would.” He was tempted to accept the offer. “But I was never close to Hop when I was Champion. I wouldn’t see him as much.”

_‘You see my reasons, now, don’t you?’_

“I don’t see why you had to kill him.”

_‘You never know how much you care about someone until they pass away.’_ It replied. It then continued, much to Leon’s shock. _‘You are worthy of me, Leon. Throw your Pokeball and then go up to your brother. The poor boy is worried sick’_

The crystal showed the images of what was happening upstairs.

\------------

When Leon got back up, Pokeball in hand, he pretty much was tackled by Hop. As he was patting the boy’s head, watching him cry, he looked toward Mae, who simply nodded at him. She knew he succeeded.

“Stupid, why did you go alone?” He got questioned by his brother once he finally let him go.

“I needed to.” He sighed and smiled at him, before lifting the hand holding the Pokeball. “He’s in there.”

Hop’s jaw almost touched the floor, even though he also had caught a Legendary Pokemon before.

\------------

When Leon sat down in the hairstylist’s chair that night, he smiled at himself in the mirror and said: “Just a trim. As usual.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, this is done and over with. I don't think I've ever written something this long before. Well, I did write something longer than this before but I never really completed it. I abandoned it before the end. So yeah, to say I wrote something this long and finished it... this is a feat.
> 
> Anyway, thank you for reading!


End file.
